08 Sep 2021

Growing up in the public school system has genuinely shaped me to become a better person and to not take things for granted. We went through the rough and tumble of trying on new uniform in a makeshift bike shed with the help from the P&C parents (absolute legends) to sweating like a pig in the middle of summer because air conditioner was simply non-existent.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though - all our student-run fundraisers paid off with showcases, market and mufti days (along with sponging the teachers you've always wanted to take it out on)!

Alas, the 30 things you'll ONLY understand if you went to a public school in Australia:

  • The to-be school captain promised to get choccy milk flowing out of the school bubblers that looked like troughs (and for some reason there was always sand in it)
  • There was always that one kid that ran to the canteen at lunchtime looking like this:

  • Being yelled at by your food tech teacher for not wearing leather shoes was a great pastime
  • You've had at least one term (or a few) of a subject in a demountable
  • Your year group was the noisiest and got yelled at by the deputy principal after the assembly 
  • You organised student-run fundraisers for camps and excursions by flogging Cadbury chocolates or Zooper Doopers:

  • There was always beef on the school bus between you and private schoolers - the class system sucks...
  • You turned up to mufti day in school clothes (but also didn't bring a gold coin donation, so you're not mad about it)
  • Work experience in Year 10 was literally the highlight of your year
  • There was always one kid that cried at every school event - camp, excursions, discos, everything
  • The bunk beds, ratty carpet, bathroom and communal food hall at camps (with only three different cereals to choose from):

  • When only three out of twenty bathroom doors actually lock (and having a specific one you use every time)
  • You've been dragged by the principal in front of the whole school for wearing black shorts instead of navy
  • You volunteered as an office runner to get out of class for the day or when an assessment was due
  • Your year advisor occasionally sat your year group down after a certain "incident" happened and for everyone to stop talking about it
  • The science labs were older than your parents
  • The teacher gets you to line up outside the classroom again while scoffing down a museli bar before class (they're heroes) and tells you you're acting like their Year 7er's
@milligram96

🗣 INSIDE VOICES PLEASE!! 🗣 #teacher #school #highschool #primaryschool #english #class #australia #pov

♬ original sound - Millie Ford
  • The long-standing rumour that the bike shed was haunted
  • When you're sitting in sick bay and debating whether or not to get the office ladies to call your parents
  • There's always one kid in your class that pushes the teacher to tears
  • When you had to fight another kid at school raffles for the signed footy that you wanted
  • When the classroom tables fray and are literally falling apart
  • The one or two fights that happen every year that nobody can stop talking about
  • The immaturity from a couple of students when a special guest comes to school to talk about female hygiene, domestic violence or disability
  • When we’re given the talk about representing our school before we get off the bus on a excursion
  • When a D list celebrity comes and performs at your school (Timomatic, Hooligan Hefs or every second NRL player out there):

  • When your class has to move blocks for the term because the health department has only just realised there’s asbestos on the ceiling
  • When your principal sits in on a class lesson and you can tell your teacher is sh*tting it
  • When the English staffroom was the best place to be for school gossip + some of the caring people you’ll ever meet

You lived an elite high school experience, so be proud of it 💪 public school represent.